Cricket: Rutherford discovers the solution

Hamish Rutherford of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

Perhaps the reason Black Caps opener Hamish Rutherford is so relaxed about his potential test debut in Dunedin tomorrow is that he can't really see what is coming.

The 23-year-old Otago left-hander is as "blind as anything" without his contact lenses.

He had a tiny issue during the warm-up four-day game against England in Queenstown last week when one of his contacts folded over and he could not see properly.

He faced three deliveries before he corrected the lens and has since found out he had been using the wrong solution.

"I got new contacts a few months ago and it has made a big difference," he said. "I can actually see the ball. I'm blind as anything. That is just the way it is. I've got to get on with it."

Rutherford posted 90 in that innings and got some valuable game time against England seamer Stuart Broad and spinner Graeme Swann.

He struck a couple of memorable blows against both bowlers, crashing a Broad delivery through point for six and using his feet to Swann to loft the ball down the ground for another six.

Rutherford is a young man with enormous talent who New Zealand cricket hopes has the potential to solve its endless quest to find a reliable opening batsman.

His strategy going into the first test is to keep things as simple as possible and just approach the game like any other. He shared a coffee with his mentor, former Otago and New Zealand opening batsman Craig Cumming, before the warm-up game against England and values his input.

"He has had a big influence on my game in the last year. Initially, he sort of helped me out with a few key things but lately it is just about the process of batting and getting in the right mindset and enjoying it."